Beehive.



PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

R. F. HOLTERMANN.

BEEHIVE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED APR. 11, 1904.

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Patented. February Q8, 1905.

.RICHARD F. lfIOLlERh/IANN, OF BRANTFORD, CANADA.

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SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 783,588, dated February 53B, 1905.

' Appiano inea Apiii 1i 1904. sei-iii No. 202,537.

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Be it known that I, Riou/uu) F. iler/run- MANN, of the city ol Brantford1 in the county oi? Brant, lProvince ot' Ontario` lanada, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Beehives, olE which the following' is a speciiication.

The object of my invention is to devise a beehive which will possess special advantages both in summer and winter and at swarming' seasons and in which the time at which the formation of brood-cells is commenced is easily ascertained without opening' up the hive; and it consists, essentially, of a hive pro vided with a porch or extension at its 'lront capable ot' being' partly or completely closed and also provided with means whereby a comblrame maybe withdrawn lroin the bach of the hive without disturbing the other combiframes, the whole beingl constructed in detail. substantially as hereinafter more specilically described and then definitely claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective `front View of the beehive provided with my improvements. Fig'. 2 shows in elevation two forms oiI slide used in closing the front of the hive. Fig'. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation ol a onestory hive provided with my improvements. VFig. 4; is a rear elevation of the saine.

ln thedrawingslike letters oi reference indicate corresponding parts in the different iig'- ures.

A represents the body oi the hive oi ord inary construction. and B the 'front wall, between which and the bottom C is an aperture for the entrance and exit oi the bees.

By extending' the side walls and bottom of the hive and applying a covering-board .D thereto l form a covered porch in front oil. the hive.

1t will be noted that the covering-board is oi less width than the extensions o'lg the sides and that vertical grooves are formed in the sides in line with the outer edge 0i the covering-board. ln these grooves may be iitted the iront E. ln Fig'. l .lf show this front as a solid board having an aperture F t'or the entrance and exit of the bees formed at its lower side. Below the aperture is placed a lightiup;-

board c. The aperture may be either plain or adjustable in any well-known manner.

When the solid front is closed, it acts as an etiicient in'otection to the Vfront oi' the hive Afrom the sun and provides the trout ol the hive with au eii'ectivc breathing-space Jfor the been. ln winter the space between the ordi,- nary Jfront oi2 the hive and the slide may be suitably packed, leaving' merely a passageway Vfor the bees.

Instead of the solid front a slide iitted with perforated metal, such as shown at the right hand in Fig'. 2, may be employed when it is desired to permit the workers to passin and out, but to restrain the queen and d roues.

1f it is desired to completely close the hive and at the same time to provide ventilation, a slide [ilied with wire-netting. such as shown at the right hand in Fig. 2, may be employed.

1t is important in bee-lieeping' to ascertain when the bees are commencing' the formation ot' brood-cells. (')rdinarily this can only be done by opening' up the hive and removing' a frame 'from above. I obviate this diiiculty by cutting a vertical slot il in the back o'l.' the hive exactly in line with one ot' the ordinary frames I-l. A small iframe I. is shaped so that it may be inserted through this slot. and the rear end of the frame H is jogged', as shown, to accommodate itself to this frame. Ot' course this construction is not essential, as the small 'trarne might be a great deal larger and take up all or nearly all the space allotted to the frame H, the essential feature being' the providing' oi' a lframe removable through a slot or opening; at the back ot' the hive.

The end JA of the frame is made larger than the aperture, so that it overlaps the same and aiiords an eiiective closure.

To guide the small frame and hold it up in position, I prefer to provide a small grooved wedge-shaped block K, which receives the end oi the frame as the latter is pushed in and guides it up into position. As this small iframe extends well in toward the center ot the hive, when the bees commence the lformation et broodfcells some will certainly be 'formed in this `trame, and the `fact can be ascertaineifl at any time by withdrawing' and examining it.

It should be mentioned that the small frame contains comb, upon which by moans ot' a broken surface or otherwise or owing to suitable space being left the bees will commence the formation of queen-cells. rlhe small frame may also be used to contain a feeder made of a suitable size to take the place of a comb. The object of this is to bring feed Within the reach of the bees during the cold Weather to prevent starvation or to stimulate brood-rearing at the proper season.

From the above description it will be seen that I have devised a hive which possesses many important advantages in the handling and care of bees.

rhat I claim as my invention is" l. A beehive provided With a series of vertically-removable comb-frames and a horizontally-removable comb-frame located in the middle of the vertically -removable combframes, the hive having an aperture in one side tl'lrough which the said frame may be removed.

2. A beehive provided with a vertical slot in its back in combination with a comb-frame adapted to pass through the said slot; and an end piece on said frame adapted to close the said slot when the frame is inserted, substantially as described.

3. A beehive having a vertical slot in its back and provided with a vertically-removable frame having a rectangular jog at its rear end in combination with a comb-frame titting within the said jog and removable through the slot in the back of the hive, substantially as described.

4L. A beehive having a vertical slot in its back and provided with a vertically-removable comb-frame having a rectangular jog at its rear end in combination with a comb-frame litting Within the said jogand removable through the slot in the bacK of the hive; and an end piece on said frame adapted to close the said slot when the frame is inserted, substantially as described.

Brantford, Ontario, April 5, i904.

RICHARD F. HOL' ERMANN In presence ot'- lnENE BAXTER, S. R. S'rmvART. 

